GARDENING enthusiast Cynthia Langstaff is more accustomed to slicing meat than keeping her flowerbed in trim.

But the retired butcher's shop owner has shown that she can turn her hand to pampering her primroses by picking up a first prize in a gardening competition.

The 69-year-old has won this year's Barnard Castle garden competition in the home ordinary-sized gardens section.

Her success follows a first prize in 2000 when she won the first prize in the small gardens and patios category of the competition.

Cynthia, who ran a butcher's shop in Barnard Castle with her husband Peter before retiring, has only been gardening for four years at her home in Flatts Road, and said she was delighted with her success.

She said: "When I was working I was always too busy to do any gardening, but I have more time now and I really enjoy it.

"I like to keep it simple, and although I'm perhaps not technically an experienced gardener, I know where to put plants and how the colour schemes should look.

"I think I have a bit of a flair for it. My husband is not so keen, but he enjoys the results and it is such a rewarding pastime."

Second place in the ordinary-sized garden section went to Sandra Worley, of Woodside, and third were Diane and Richard Kent, of the Market Place.

The Cricketers Arms won the shops, offices and businesses section. Newgate Gallery was second and The Shop, in Greta Road, third.

The winners of the small gardens and patio section were George and Winn Forrest, of Marshall Street. Brian and Kath Thompson, from Queen Street, were second, and third were Dorothy Mitcheson and Dorothy Considine, of Watson Court.